The green that made the team

Get your mind out of the gutter. I mean mustard greens- not any other inedible type- this is a kid friendly blog. So the inspiration behind this incredible dip came from the desire to make something my preggo girlfriend with potentially undesirable glucose levels could enjoy carb-free. I needed a snack that she could eat and not miss the bread. Dips...dips... I just feel like dips are so lackluster. I'm bored. How can I juj (thats ju-uhjz for you non Yiddish speakers) up this whole dip thing. Let's try mustard greens, spicy and delicious- imagine kale with the bite of a radish- lets get some really good PASTEURIZED cheeses- one soft, one sharp- to melt inside the dip- no breadcrumbs for the top? How about toasted pine nuts? Can I get an a-men?

Greenie Cheesy Dip:

1 bunch mustard greens- chopped finely, then rinsed THOROUGHLY- those things are filled with sand
3 cloves garlic- minced
3 shallots- minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 oz fat-free (or light) cream cheese, softened
4 oz nonfat greek yogurt
2 oz soft goat cheese (or any tangy cheese you prefer)
2 oz grated sharp cow's milk cheese (think sharp cheddar)
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, pulsed into crumbs


Step 1: preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Preheat a medium skillet on moderate heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add shallots and saute for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and mix in with spoon until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Add in your mustard greens, season with salt and pepper, and cook down until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Put in separate bowl and squeeze excess water out with paper towels.

Step 2: In the bowl with the mustard green mixture, add your cheeses- give it a good mix.

Step 3: To toast pine nuts- in a dry pan on medium heat add the pine nuts, give them a little stir after a minute- DO NOT STEP AWAY- even the most skilled cook upon slight distraction has burnt pine nuts- as soon as they have a nice nutty color- you're set. Add them to a food processor and pulse until they form tiny crumbs. Add the mustard green mixture to a serving dish that can go in the oven- sprinkle with pine nut crumbs.

Step 4: Pop this baby in the oven- about 12-15 minutes until you get those yummy bubbles. Serve with sliced peppers, cucumbers, carrots, or some nice crunchy crackers. What football game?

 ENJOY!